


For the first time (in a long time)

by levisexual



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Best Friends, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Mentioned Annie Leonhart, Multiple Personalities, Mutual Pining, Titan Shifters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:48:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23701069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/levisexual/pseuds/levisexual
Summary: After Annie is captured, Reiner and Bertholdt have to figure out what to do.The answer is never easy.
Relationships: Reiner Braun & Bertolt Hoover, Reiner Braun/Bertolt Hoover
Comments: 3
Kudos: 27





	For the first time (in a long time)

**Author's Note:**

> hi everyone, this is my first work ever and I'm so scared to publish it but at the same time I'm very excited
> 
> if you have any suggestion or comment let me know and please consider that English is not my first language so you might find some mistake :)

They had Annie.

The news had hit Reiner and Bertholdt like lightning. Somehow Eren and the Survey Corps had been able to overpower and capture her, and they had brought her somewhere inside wall Sheena.

Bertholdt couldn't believe it, and from the look on his face, Reiner must have been shocked too.

Annie was the most skilled among the three of them, it wasn't a mistery. She was intelligent and sharp-witted and even if she wasn't as strong as Reiner, her fighting techniques made her an excellent contestant. Moreover, she had been the only one who had stuck with the initial plan. She had entered the Military Police in order to get the power of the Founding Titan from the monarch inside the walls, as they had agreed before Eren's titan had come into the picture.  
On the other hand, Bertholdt and Reiner had remained in the Survey Corps in order to capture Eren. 

Maybe - Bertholdt dared to think - if they had stayed together this wouldn't have happened. They could have helped Annie escape or hide and they would have fought alongside her. But they hadn't. And now Annie was captured and they were as far as ever from carrying out their mission. 

Once their superior dismissed them, all their conerades went back to their activities, some with a happy look on their face for the victory against the Female Titan.

Bertholdt shot a look at Reiner, who nodded and started walking towards their bedroom.

It was always like this between them: they were able to understand one another without saying a word, which was extremely useful in a situation were it was the two of them against everyone else. And in his deepest thoughts, Bertholdt was happy that is was Annie the one captured and not Reiner, but he couldn't admit it to himself.

They entered the room and, after checking that it was empty, they moved to a little table that was standing in a corner from where they could see the door.  
Reiner sat down, now clearly showing his concern, and Bertholdt realized he didn't even need to ask him what he was thinking, because it was obvious.  
He could read him as a book when he was like this, his emotions and thoughts written in his look and expression, something that happened only when it was just the two of them. 

"What are we gonna do now?" Reiner looked up, and even if he was expecting his question, Bertholdt found himself clueless, unable to give a satisfying answer.

"I don't know" he said helplessly.

"We can't go to the inner circle of walls without a permission and we can't use our titan forms to get there." Reiner was thinking out loud.

"I know that"

"Then we should focus on capturing Eren, even if now he is under strict control." Reiner let out a sigh and continued. " However, if we manage to do that, we won't be able to save Annie and take the Founding Titan anyway, since the Survey Corps would be after us."

"Right."

"For the love of god Bert, could you help me a little here?", Reiner's desperate tone made him frown. 

"I don't know what you expect me to say Reiner, I don't even know if we can help Annie at this point".  
It was the truth.  
They both knew it, even if it was painful to admit it.

"You can't be serious! It's Annie! We've trained together and we've been through so much, we can't let her down."

"And you think I don't know it?!" Bertholdt didn't realize he had raised his voice.

He held Reiner's gaze for a second longer then necessary.

They remained in silence for a couple of minutes, searching for a solution for a problem they couldn't solve.

After a while Bertholdt said: "I'm sorry, I'm just worried and stressed, and this situation is not helping"  
"I know. I am too", the second part came out as a whisper, as if Reiner didn't want the other people to see his weaknesses.

Bertholdt sighed.

"Listen, I know it might sound out of the blue. Well, it actually is. But, we could destroy the wall in Karanes district." 

Now that he said it out loud and he saw Reiner's expression the idea sounded even more crazy. He regretted it immediately. But it was out now and it was all he had, so he continued. 

"We are supposed to go there tomorrow, in order to get food and meet with the rest of the division returning from Trost. We could destroy the wall so that it will generate some panic and we'll leave in the confusion. Then we'll get to the territories inside wall Sheena, find Annie and free her"

It was the most stupid plan he could have came up with, there was no way they could do this without getting caught, or even -

"It can work"

Bertholdt was taken aback by Reiner's answer and shot a confused look at his friend. "Are you serious?"  
"Yeah. I mean, it's not the best thing to do, but I don't see any other possible solution" 

Reiner had changed.  
Bertholdt had known it for a while now. But this time it was clear as ever. Almost tangible. 

Bertholdt hated it.

"I'll do it". The look on Reiner's face was hard and impenetrable for the first time in a long time. His voice almost unrecognizable.

Bertholdt hated it.

He let out a sigh and talked softly. "You know it has to be me"

He didn't want to do it. Of course he didn't. How many more people had to die because of him? How many of his friend in the military were going to get eaten by the titans? Who was next? Armin? Connie? Sasha?

Was it ever gonna end?

"Don't be stupid Bertholdt. I know what you're thinking. Stop it. This time is my turn."

"I can't let you do that. Please. Don't make it harder than it already is."

He knew that the Armored Titan was the easiest target. Especially now that the Eldians had Eren on their side. If their enemies managed to fight Reiner and capture him too...

No. He couldn't think about that. It wasn't an option. He couldn't lose him.

Plus, the Colossal Titan's steam was perfect for hiding and return to his human form. It had worked the two previous times at least.

"I hate that it always has to be you Bert. And - don't look at me like that - I also know it is our best option. But I still hate it." 

Bertholdt put his hand on Reiner's shoulder. It was comforting. One of the rare act of tenderness they could hope to receive in a world like that. Reiner placed his head on Bertholdt's hand, leaning into the touch.

They stayed like that for a while. Both knowing it wouldn't last, but not willing to end the contact yet.


End file.
